Egypt's Investment Min. Reviews Investment Opportunities during Bank of America Roundtable

Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh presented an ambitious vision for the country’s economic future during a high-profile investor roundtable organized by Bank of America in London, attracting some of the world’s largest asset managers and financial institutions.

The event, held on the sidelines of the ministerial mission organized by the British Egyptian Business Association (BEBA), brought together senior executives from leading global investment firms, including Morgan Stanley Investment Management, HSBC Asset Management, Fidelity International, UBS Asset Management, Farallon Capital, Millennium Management, GoldenTree Asset Management, Intesa Sanpaolo, and Schonfeld Strategic Advisors.

The discussions focused on Egypt’s ongoing economic reforms, investment opportunities, industrial expansion plans, and efforts to strengthen private-sector participation in the economy.

Addressing investors, Minister Farid emphasized that the Egyptian government remains committed to maintaining macroeconomic stability through coordinated fiscal, monetary, trade, and investment policies designed to foster investor confidence and sustainable growth.

He highlighted that Egypt’s economy has recently recorded growth rates exceeding 5%, while private-sector participation in total investments rose to approximately 67% during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, compared with an average of around 42% in previous years.

The figures, he noted, demonstrate a structural shift toward an economy increasingly driven by investment, production, and exports rather than public spending.

Farid identified manufacturing as one of the key engines of economic growth, pointing to rising investor interest in Egypt’s productive and export-oriented sectors.

He outlined the government’s ongoing efforts to remove investment barriers, improve the business climate, and enhance Egypt’s attractiveness as a regional production and export hub.

The minister also revealed progress in developing a new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy in cooperation with the World Bank. The strategy is designed to identify priority sectors capable of attracting high-quality investments, boosting exports, and generating employment opportunities while aligning with Egypt’s broader industrial development agenda.

A major focus of the discussions was Egypt’s plan to expand investment zones across the country as part of a broader strategy to decentralize economic development and promote industrial growth beyond Cairo and Alexandria.

According to Farid, the new model will prioritize streamlined procedures, improved logistics, and enhanced export facilitation measures, including the establishment of customs points within investment zones to reduce export processing times and shipping costs.

Unlike traditional incentive-based models, the government intends to focus on operational efficiency and infrastructure improvements rather than offering exceptional tax breaks or incentives.

"This approach is designed to strengthen the competitiveness of Egyptian companies in international markets while creating sustainable employment opportunities across the country," the minister said.

Farid also updated investors on the government’s state asset offering program, which seeks to accelerate public offerings and strategic partnerships aimed at maximizing returns on state-owned assets while expanding private-sector participation in the economy.

The minister highlighted significant developments in the Egyptian stock market, including increased trading volumes, a growing investor base, and technological modernization initiatives intended to deepen capital markets and improve access to financing for businesses.

Addressing concerns about energy availability, Farid emphasized that the government has taken proactive measures to ensure stable energy supplies and support uninterrupted economic activity.

He also underscored growing investment opportunities in petroleum, natural gas, renewable energy, and sustainable infrastructure projects.

The minister further outlined Egypt’s ambitions to develop carbon markets and capitalize on emerging opportunities linked to the global green transition and climate finance, positioning the country as a regional hub for sustainable investment.

Representatives of the participating institutions expressed strong interest in Egypt’s investment landscape, praising recent economic reforms and improvements in macroeconomic indicators.

Several investors highlighted opportunities in manufacturing, energy, financial services, and infrastructure, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining the pace of structural reforms, strengthening transparency, and continuing capital market development.

Participants also welcomed the government’s direct engagement with the international investment community, describing such dialogues as critical for building long-term investor confidence.

Concluding the discussions, Farid reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing economic and structural reforms aimed at enhancing competitiveness, improving the business environment, and expanding the role of the private sector.

"Our objective remains clear: attracting greater domestic and foreign investment, creating jobs, and achieving sustainable economic growth that delivers long-term prosperity," the minister said.